Home Inspectors in St. George, Utah

What an inspection is, and is not

A home inspection is a visual, non-invasive assessment of a property's accessible systems and components at a single point in time. The inspector does not open walls, does not move heavy belongings and does not guarantee that nothing will fail later. Understanding that boundary is the difference between a useful inspection and a disappointed buyer.

What it should do is give you an informed picture of condition and a list of things worth investigating further before your contract's due-diligence deadline passes.

What matters specifically here

Several items carry more weight in Washington County than they would elsewhere:

• Air conditioning. In a climate with July highs averaging near 102°F, the cooling system is not a secondary system. Its age and condition are central.
• Roof condition. Damage here is driven by ultraviolet exposure and thermal cycling rather than snow, and flashing, sealants and pipe boots are the usual weak points.
• Water heaters and fixtures. The area's mineral-heavy water shortens service life, and scale is a routine finding.
• Irrigation and drainage. Most of the year is dry, but the storms that do arrive are intense, and grading that never gets tested is a common problem.
• Soil movement. Expansive and unstable soils occur in parts of southern Utah, and evidence of movement is worth taking seriously.

Choosing an inspector

Ask for a sample report before booking. Reports vary enormously in quality, and a sample tells you more than a price does. Ask how long the inspection will take, whether you may attend, and what the inspector's background is. Membership of a professional body such as ASHI or InterNACHI indicates a standards of practice and a code of ethics the inspector has agreed to work to.

Be wary of an inspector recommended by a party with an interest in the sale closing. That is not a claim of wrongdoing; it is simply a conflict worth removing by choosing independently.